Webasto Heaters Standard?

[jaudette3]

I just learned that Webasto heaters were standard equipment in the early cars, which was news to me. It's amazing that after all these years I learn something new just about every day.

JOhnA

[Peanut]

I just learned that Webasto heaters were standard equipment in the early cars, which was news to me. It's amazing that after all these years I learn something new just about every day.

JOhnA

Interesting. Which years is that true? My '68 car came listed with almost no options but has the Webasto listed as one of the few.

[jaudette3]

I think they were standard through 1968. Here's a message I received earlier from a top end restorer:

Yes, the early ones did, until they figured out they were a real fire hazard, then they stopped putting them in there except on special order and for the cold climates.

What happened is this, having your car parked overnight in cold winter outdoors it was in the morning completely with frozen windows, inside and out, one fired up the webasto, went back inside the house to have breakfast and come back with the car completely ‘unfrozen’ and warm to take off to work...... however, when they got older gasoline started leaking and fires were started inside the trunk while the owner walked away and/or was having breakfast in the house, only to come back out to see his car on fire.... !!!

True stories, believe me...

That’s why there are less of these cars left over and prices going up!!

Cheers,
JohnA

[gulf908]

John,
I believe that a rule of thumb would be the '65 and '66 'deluxe' LHD 911s had the gas heater.
In '67 the plain 911 was 'un-deluxed' and the gas heater was then an option.
Needless to say,these would have been standard on Scandinavian and Canadian cars probably until the change to the fan system in '75.

HTH
Dennis.

[jaudette3]

Has anyone actually *used* a Webasto heater? Not sure why it seems like such a scary idea given that the entire machine is based on exploding gasoline.

JohnA

[Bill Meyer]

Has anyone actually *used* a Webasto heater? Not sure why it seems like such a scary idea given that the entire machine is based on exploding gasoline.

JohnA

I'd love to use mine, but the idea of gasoline being ignited anywhere near my car makes me shudder!!

....oh wait, I get it now

[davep]

The VW 411 I had many years ago had two gas heaters. One over the transmission to boost the output of the heater boxes, and the other in the front trunk. With both running, the car was toasty. You could almost see the gas guage moving though.

[edmayo]

Had one in a 58 VW kombi when I lived up north decades ago. That was the ONLY way to fly in that climate, it would warm the whole inside of that van in minutes! Always gave a little WHUMP! sound when firing up! Just make sure you got good fuel lines, just like you do for that other 'gas heater' in the rear.

[Allen Henderson]

John,
I believe that a rule of thumb would be the '65 and '66 'deluxe' LHD 911s had the gas heater.
In '67 the plain 911 was 'un-deluxed' and the gas heater was then an option.
Needless to say,these would have been standard on Scandinavian and Canadian cars probably until the change to the fan system in '75.

HTH
Dennis.

Are you using the word "deLuxe" advisedly? In fact, I think you are correct. That the '67 normal was de-contented or de-deluxed. See the thread after my name please. Thanks.

-Allen-

http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...ht=1967+deluxe

[SERIES900]

BOOM?
not much different from the burner you feed in your basement every winter, pump some fuel add a blow of air into a chamber add spark or glow and whummph ya got heat. The webasto system works great, when new/fresh. the timer box needs to be excellent not rusted as it sits under the fiberglass drain bucket of the cowl, getting dripped on if the seal is bad. the air pump has to be up to snuff,along with a good diaphragm/needle valve,2 sets of resistor values to the glow plug and a good glow plug. finally the exhaust has to have back pressure, a good muffler. blower motor has to run, essentially to cool the heat exchanger, the shielding - not rusted at the bottom check the over under limit switches and the bimetal tang finally for controlled temp or full blast -the thermostat in the passenger A-pillar ductwork. The system got better with the transistorized ignitor in 68. The voltage is key, and I do not think they worked as commented above, RTFM! the car has to be running with the altenator excited putting out full voltage, if you try to fire up a glow plug, along with the fuel pump and air pump running on just the battery at 32' or below, i guarantee you will have less than the required volts/amps out of that little old battery.Once the burner is warm they tend to reignite/cycle easier, therfore not requiring full volts, keep running it like that at the hockey game with the key off and you will have a dead battery. Funny all the years I have been in these cars i never found a melted smugglers box, let alone a complete burn victim with a good engine in the back. These cars all toast from the rear. Other than the non fused A)instrument lights, B)later condensor fans in front of the gas tank orC) hack sound system/fuel pump installs.

Now why did they put them in? well if you were not winding the P out of your p car as your DAILY DRIVER MID WINTER, that windshield or your toes got, cold! Every stoplight your breath would crystalize and your hot honeycakes sitting next to you? She was none to happy either, plus she had a set of lungs exhaling too. Climb up to the mountains in the early am, winding the song of 2 liter heaven, ya got some heat. Drive home in a snowstorm downhill , ya sure were not at 4k RPM, no heat. Ahhh but pull that switch and turn it to the right a notch or two and whupp, HEAT plenty o heat! Crack the vent windows ! Remember the smiling faces , the tight ski pants and the cool sunglasses? Skis strapped on the rear lid, yah yah, dat vas a gut day! Even today the 964s in real winter are no sauna up here in the cold north, but a C4 sure does have grip AND heated seats /mirrors/nozzles! Still get cold toes,slow to clear icy windshields in the am.

Note to JohnA, I restored 15 webasto units last year at one shot for several clients, trying to be efficient with the blasting,paint,plating and SS hardware asssembly and testing. Including was a complete webasto system installed into your old "NOS rally parts" bahama yellow for the Big Cheese back here in NH last winter! Works great! I say your restorer is making stories.

PS ever wonder how those air cooled flying machines overhead get heat? Gas heaters.